The disclosures herein relate generally to computer systems, and more particularly, to a system and method for statistical file preload for factory installed software.
In build-to-order manufacturing of custom configured computer systems, production efficiency is one of the single most important factors affecting the bottom line. Absent efficient factory operations, a computer system manufacturer may undesirably need to construct more factories for obtaining or maintaining a prescribed production capacity, for example, in view of the ever-changing requirements of customer ordered software.
An important phase impacting the efficiency in computer build-to-order factories is software installation. The time required to install software is generally a function of a serial process along the critical path through the factory. With respect to software installation, a network generally downloads software onto target computer systems.
In addition to the above, modern application software and operating systems are regularly increasing in size, i.e., the amount of storage space (e.g., in MB or GB) that each requires. The increase in size requirements places an ever-increasing demand on the factory network infrastructure. Such increased demand further increases download times for factory installation of software on the computer systems being manufactured.
Prior methods for addressing the above problem have included building additional factories to handle the increased demands for factory software installation. Alternatively, the problem has been addressed by investing in a greater network infrastructure to increase bandwidth to the target systems. Both of these methods increase the manufacturing costs for the build-to-order computer manufacturer.
What is needed is an improved system and method for factory installed software.
According to one embodiment, a method for statistical file preload of an image in a computer includes statistically analyzing an overhead or delivery requirement as a function of relevant manufacturing criteria of computer readable files to be downloaded to a target computer during a software download portion of a computer manufacturing process. Lastly, files are selected for inclusion in a preload image as a function of relevant manufacturing criteria.
A technical advantage of the embodiments of the present disclosure is an improved efficiency in the overall manufacture of custom configured computer systems, and, in particular, the software download portion.